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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29921901">Hearts And Minds</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/pikablob/pseuds/pikablob'>pikablob</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Raya and the Last Dragon (2021)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Adoption, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bad Parent Virana, F/F, Fix-It of Sorts, Friendship/Love, Gen, Hurt/Comfort</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 21:08:40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,113</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29921901</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/pikablob/pseuds/pikablob</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Namaari can't bring herself to go through with her mother's plan, the night of the feast. Instead, she sides with Raya, and everything changes.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Benja &amp; Namaari (Disney), Benja &amp; Raya (Disney), Namaari &amp; Raya (Disney), Namaari/Raya (Disney)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>449</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Hearts And Minds</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Uncertainty churned in Namaari’s gut. She knew what she was meant to do; her mother’s instructions still rang in her head, cold and clear:</p><p>
  <em>“Befriend the princess of Heart; tell her whatever she wants to hear. Convince her to show you where Sisu’s gem is and secure it for Fang. Send the signal if you need any help and the Royal Army will come.”</em>
</p><p>But so far, she hadn’t had to do any of that. The princess, a girl her age named Raya, was quite possibly the nicest person Namaari had ever met. They had more in common than Namaari could ever have imagined; the other girl even shared her love of dragons, and something about her made Namaari’s insides flutter in a way she was sure she had never felt before.</p><p>She had ended up completely off-script. She had already broken her mother’s rule about showing weakness, admitting how close Fang was to starving, and she’d shown Raya the dragon scroll that she definitely wasn’t supposed to even have. She had even given away her favourite necklace. That had been an impulse, one she couldn’t quite explain, but she had known it was worth it the moment she saw Raya’s face light up at the gift.</p><p>Namaari hadn’t even had to ask about the Dragon Gem in the end. Raya just wanted to show her; that was why they had snuck off together, out of Heart’s great palace and up to the old temple at the top of the arch that loomed above it, sneaking down darkened corridors. Ahead loomed a great circular door, made of engraved stone divided into a series of concentric rings, and Raya came to a stop in front of it.</p><p>She reached up, her hands finding the right notches in the innermost ring with practiced ease. With a grunt she swung it round; the grinding of gears echoed from behind the walls, and as Namaari watched the carvings on the other rings slid into alignment. Raya stepped back just as the whole thing rolled aside, revealing a smooth stone staircase flanked by lush greenery. A small stream ran down the middle; Namaari’s eyes went wide as she realised the water was flowing <em>upwards</em>. This had to be the place.</p><p>Raya slipped out of her shoes, stepping carefully over the threshold. Namaari did the same, following her new friend up the stairs and into a vast overgrown chamber. Raya stopped at the top of the stairs; Namaari stepped around her, only to freeze at the sight of what lay ahead.</p><p>In the centre of the room was a large rock, surrounded by a pond filled with smooth stones. And atop it floated the most beautiful thing Namaari had ever seen. It was a rounded gemstone, surrounded by slowly levitating droplets of water and shining with a gentle blue light. She could feel the energy rolling off it, calling to something deep inside her.</p><p>“The spirit of Sisu,” she breathed, instinctively raising her hands into a circle. If anything deserved the respect, it was this. “I can feel it.”</p><p>In her peripheral vision she saw Raya nod. “It’s the last bit of dragon magic left in the whole world,” the other girl said softly; just from her tone Namaari could tell she felt its presence too.</p><p>“I can see why Heart guards it so closely,” she noted, following as Raya walked towards it. But as the thought rose up in her mind, so did the memory of why she was really here. The plan echoed in her mind again, and as she looked at the gemstone she could see why Fang deserved it.</p><p>But at the same time, something cold settled back in her gut. The thought of betraying Raya made her skin crawl; how could she hurt someone so honest, someone who she had genuinely come to care about?</p><p>Because the future of Fang was more important, a voice in her head that sounded far too much like her mother answered. As future queen she had to put her people first. She could feel the stone’s power; with it, she knew, all of the troubles of her kingdom, their shortages of food and space, would be gone. That power would save them, and if she had to burn one bridge to get it then so be it.</p><p>She forced all of her uncertainties down, slipping back into the mask her mother so often demanded of her. She wasn’t here to make friends; she shouldn’t have cared about hurting Raya at all. She knew what she had to do.</p><p>“Thank you, dep la,” the words were bitter on her tongue, cold as ice. “You’ve been very helpful.”</p><p>Raya looked back, sudden confusion overtaking her. But before she could even process what was happening Namaari kicked her with all her might. Her foot connected squarely with Raya’s back. The princess fell, landing hard on the mossy flagstones. Namaari stepped forwards, around her fallen companion.</p><p>“In a different world, maybe we could’ve been friends,” she admitted. She couldn’t help looking back; the look of betrayal on Raya’s face sent a stab of guilt through her, but she refused to listen to it. “But I have to do what’s right for Fang.”</p><p>She turned away again, heading for the pond. That was a mistake; she didn’t even take a step before there was a hand on her shoulder, yanking her back; Raya was already back on her feet. As Namaari stumbled the other girl darted in front of her, dropping into a fighting stance, her expression hardening. She raised her own fists.</p><p>Namaari’s mother had taught her well. She knew how to fight; she went on the offensive, ignoring her screaming conscience, trying to find a chink in Raya’s defence. But the other girl was skilled too. Namaari’s fists connected with her arms, her blows deflected. She managed to land a kick only to get one right back, hard and painful into the stomach, for her trouble.</p><p>She felt something hit her leg. She looked down; a small, round creature was bumping into her ankle. A firm kick sent the thing flying across the room. But Raya had seen her distraction and she leapt into action, leaping up, legs flying.</p><p>Namaari raised her arms just in time. The impact slammed against her forearms, sweeping her clean off her feet. She threw out her arms to stop herself, landing painfully against the mossy ground. Her arms and side stung; she grunted at the pain as she pushed off the ground, looking up just enough to see her opponent.</p><p>Raya stood over her, hands raised; she shifted defensively in front of the Dragon Gem, desperate to protect it. And looking at her, at the horrible sting of betrayal in her eyes and the resolute determination making her whole body tense, Namaari knew she was beaten. She had failed her mother; there was no way she could beat the other girl alone.</p><p>She was suddenly very aware of the signal flare on her belt. She knew, for the good of Fang, what she had to do; Raya may have been a match for her, but against the entire Royal Army there was little the girl would be able to do. All Namaari had to do was let the thing off and her kingdom’s future would be assured, her personal failure merely a footnote.</p><p>But something made her hesitate. She was suddenly struck by a vision of what would happen if she made that choice; Raya would try and fight, no doubt about it. And she would be cut down. And it would be all Namaari’s fault.</p><p>There was no way she could live with that. Raya didn’t deserve this; she had already been lied to, betrayed, beaten, all because another kingdom wanted to steal what was hers. Namaari couldn’t bring herself to hurt the other girl further, despite her mother’s voice still ringing in her head. The desperate pleading of her conscience had finally drowned it out.</p><p>She held up one hand gingerly, her facade cracking under the weight of her realisation. Raya’s face was still set with mistrust; she stepped back, hands still raised.</p><p>“There is no way you’re taking Sisu’s gem,” she said firmly. And for a moment, Namaari wasn’t sure what to say. How could she back down now? How was she supposed to apologise for letting things get this far, for ever agreeing to her mother’s plan?</p><p>“You’re right,” she said quietly. A feeling of disgust at herself settled in the back of her mind, a lump forming in her throat. “Raya, I-”</p><p>“Is this all you wanted?” Raya demanded, her voice tinged with pain. “I thought we were friends; did you say all that just so- so I would help you steal Sisu’s gem?” The accusations cut deep, and before Namaari could think something forced its way up her throat.</p><p>“No!” she near-shouted. Raya flinched, and for a moment Namaari’s words deserted her again. “I wasn’t just trying to…” she said falteringly, feeling more of her walls crack. “I mean…” She sighed, looking down. “It was Mother’s idea.”</p><p>“What?” Raya’s voice was tinged with disbelief.</p><p>“I told you, Fang has some… holes, on the inside.” Now that she had started, Namaari found she couldn’t stop herself. “Mother says that the spirit of Sisu brings prosperity, and if Fang had her gem, it would solve all our problems. She…” She sighed, knowing there was no getting around what came next. “She wanted me to befriend you, to convince you to show me where it was and take it.”</p><p>Raya’s expression hardened, and Namaari felt another sting of guilt. She sighed, feeling a stinging at the corners of her eyes.</p><p>“But then I met you,” she explained quietly. “You’re actually really nice, Raya, and I wasn’t lying when I told you all that stuff before, or when I gave you that necklace. The only thing I made up was about my mother; she’s not the type to tell jokes.” She looked down. “In another world, we really could be friends.”</p><p>Her voice cracked and she hated it. She forced herself not to cry, unwilling to show any more weakness. Her failure still stung; she knew that even with the best excuse her mother would be disappointed, and her training would be harsh for the rest of the season. But the thought of how much she had hurt Raya, and how what they had shared was no doubt shattered, cut much deeper.</p><p>Raya finally dropped her defence, her expression softening and sadness replacing the mistrust in her eyes. She approached slowly, her footsteps echoing against the flagstones.</p><p>“Why not in this world?” she asked. She knelt down, extending a hand, an offer of trust in her eyes. And Namaari couldn’t help accepting it, taking the other girl’s hand and letting herself be pulled to her feet.</p><p>As soon as she was up she pulled her hand away, looking down. “I’m sorry,” she said weakly, brushing her hair behind her ear with one hand.</p><p>Suddenly Raya’s arms were tight around her, pulling her close. It wasn’t something Namaari had ever felt before, but there was something warm and comforting about being held. She felt the last of her defences, built up so carefully under her mother’s instruction, come crashing down. She cried, a few loose tears running down her face, and gingerly she returned the embrace.</p><p>“It’s okay, <em>dep la</em>,” Raya said gently. “I understand.”</p><p>After a moment they parted. Her hands found Namaari’s, giving them a gentle squeeze, and the other girl felt a growing warmth smother some of the horrible feelings writhing inside her. Raya understood; she was forgiven. Maybe she didn’t deserve it, but at least she hadn’t broken anything she couldn’t fix.</p><p>“Will your mother be mad?” Raya asked suddenly. “That you didn’t get the gem, I mean?”</p><p>“Yeah.” Namaari looked down. She didn’t want to think about how disappointed her mother would be, and the consequences she was sure to face. Instead she scrambled for a solution. “She can’t know I had a chance to take it,” she said quickly.</p><p>“You never really stood a chance,” Raya said playfully; her joke rang hollow. Namaari sighed, shaking her head.</p><p>“I’ll have to tell her you wouldn’t show me,” she said quickly, “that I never saw this place. I’m good at hiding things; it could work.” Inside she felt a creeping doubt; her mother had been the one to teach her everything she knew of deception, and would almost certainly see right through her.</p><p>“Or,” Raya countered, squeezing her hands again, “we could just tell her the truth.”</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“I mean about the gem,” she explained with a small smile. “Taking it won’t solve Fang’s problems; it’s not what gives Heart our food. We’d be the same without it, and you’d be the same with it. The only way to fix the world is for us to work together.</p><p>“It’s like my Ba says; if we can come together and be Kumandra again, then we can all share our resources and help each other. That’s the real way to solve everything; hoarding and stealing things is how we ended up in this mess. If we can get your mom to see that, and the rest of the chiefs, then everything will get better. You’ll be able to have rice whenever you want!”</p><p>Her enthusiasm was infectious. Namaari squeezed her hands back, feeling warmth rising inside again and her face heat up a little at the eager smile on her face. There was something in the other girl’s tone that made her believe that Heart’s crazy unification plan was actually possible. Maybe she was right; maybe this could all be resolved the way her failed plan had been.</p><p>A sudden, insistent chittering shattered the moment. Raya glanced down, past Namaari, and the other girl followed her gaze. It was the creature she had kicked against the wall, a strange beetle-bear thing the size of her fist that was scurrying across the flagstones towards them.</p><p>“Tuk Tuk?” Raya asked. “What’s wrong, bud?”</p><p>He chittered again, his tiny head glancing between Namaari and the stairs down to the door. And suddenly another sound echoed, over his animated noises and the trickle of water; multiple footsteps pounding on old stone floors.</p><p>Namaari felt her blood run cold, a horrible realisation settling in her mind. That had to be the Royal Army; of course her mother wouldn’t have trusted her to steal the gem alone. No doubt she and Raya had been followed and with neither her signal nor any sign of the gem the soldiers had gotten impatient. It seemed, despite her best efforts, Namaari couldn’t stop Fang.</p><p>But she was suddenly determined to try. She wouldn’t let them take the gem, and she wouldn’t let them hurt her best friend.</p><p>“Get behind me,” she ordered. She didn’t wait for an answer, stepping between Raya and the stairs. In her peripheral she saw the other girl slip into a fighting stance, hands raised again. The pounding echoed loud, right outside the door.</p><p>Her intuition was right. Up the stairs came half a dozen Fang soldiers, glaives shining in the Dragon Gem’s glow. They fanned out across the room, ready to strike, only to hesitate when they saw their princess standing dead straight between them and the gemstone.</p><p>“Princess Namaari,” the squad’s captain broke the tense silence, “are you alright? What are you doing?” Namaari took a deep breath, forcing all her mixed feelings back down. She was their princess, she reminded herself; in the absence of her mother, these soldiers answered to her.</p><p>“I’m fine,” she said firmly, silently praying that they wouldn’t hear the fear in her voice. “Stand down, all of you. I have spoken with the princess of Heart; taking the Dragon Gem will not help Fang.”</p><p>“What do you mean?” the captain asked, confused. “That gem is the source of their prosperity.”</p><p>“No it isn’t,” she said firmly, resolve growing. “And besides, it’s not ours to take.”</p><p>There was a pregnant pause. Discomfort and confusion reigned on the soldiers’ faces; none of them wanted to defy their princess, but they also feared going against their queen. She had caught them between the frying pan and the flame. And for a moment she was sure this could all be resolved peacefully.</p><p>More footsteps sounded, brisk and cold. The soldiers’ gazes snapped back, and as another shape moved up the stairs they each tensed in turn. Namaari felt ice form again in her veins at the sight, her heartbeat sounding louder and louder in her ears, as a horribly familiar imposing figure stepped into view.</p><p>“Namaari?” Chief Virana’s voice echoed, cold and clear, through the vaulted chamber. “What are you doing?”</p><p>“She wants us to stand down,” one of the soldiers cut in. Virana’s gaze hardened, and Namaari withered under her mother’s stare. She couldn’t help glancing back at Raya; the other girl was still stood defensively, tension betraying her fear, but there was reassurance in her eyes.</p><p>“Mother,” Namaari forced herself to be calm, “taking the Dragon Gem won’t help our people. It doesn’t bring prosperity.” It would also be wrong to steal it, she now knew, but she doubted her mother would agree with that.</p><p>“And who told you that?” her mother challenged, coming to a stop beside the soldiers. There was something ice cold in her gaze.</p><p>“Raya.” Namaari gestured back to the other princess, her resolve growing. She took a half-step forwards. “She knows all about Sisu and her magic.”</p><p>“Exactly,” Virana noted, her head tilting down to meet her daughter’s gaze. Her expression was unreadable, and for a moment the girl dared to hope that she had gotten through. “She’s the princess of the land which unfairly benefits from that magic; she has a vested interest in keeping it here. I thought you would have the sense to realise that.”</p><p>Namaari’s heart sank. She knew Raya wasn’t a liar, like she was; the other girl didn’t have a manipulative bone in her body. She genuinely believed what she had said, and in that moment Namaari believed it too.</p><p>“Mother, listen to me,” she pleaded. Virana shook her head, frustration and disappointment crystallising in her glare.</p><p>“No, Namaari, you need to listen to me,” she said firmly, stepping forwards, past the soldiers. “This isn’t the leader I’m raising you to be; if you’re going to be queen of Fang someday, then you can’t let anything else come above the needs of our people, especially not the words of one girl.” Her eyes narrowed. “Stand aside, my love; you’ve done enough.”</p><p>For the second time that evening, Namaari knew she had the same choice; the choice between her kingdom, and her mother, the weight of expectation upon her and her duties as princess; and Raya, a girl she had only known for a day and yet who set her heart fluttering, and everything she knew was right, and the dream of Kumandra. Her resolve wavered a little, her heart pounding again, but Namaari’s feet stayed rooted to the cold flagstones.</p><p>“No.”</p><p>“Very well,” Virana sighed, turning back to the captain of the soldiers. “Seize the gem,” she ordered coldly. “Do not hurt my daughter, but do not let her stop you.”</p><p>The soldiers only hesitated for a moment. They moved in, lowering their glaives. Instinctively Namaari stepped back, up the edge of the pond, Raya right behind her. She scrambled to think of a plan, gears in her head turning as she slipped into a fighting stance; there was no way she could take half a dozen of Fang’s best-trained soldiers head on.</p><p>“What are you doing?” Raya asked, disbelief in her tone. Namaari felt her resolve grow stronger, an idea settling in her mind, seeing reluctance in the movements of the soldiers.</p><p>“They won’t hurt me,” she realised. “Stay close to me and they can’t touch you either.” The other girl nodded, before something sparkled in her eyes.</p><p>“And if we get in front of the gem…” she began. Namaari nodded, no more words needed.</p><p>They fell back together, onto the stones of the pond, even as the warriors closed in. Still the troops hesitated, not willing to risk harming their princess. But Namaari knew this wouldn’t work forever; eventually something had to give; she was just playing for time until something, anything, came along to change the situation.</p><p>She didn’t have to wait long. Everything happened at once. There was the sound of rattling chains; Raya glanced up, eyes lighting up, and from the hole in the roof a shadow descended. Namaari just had time to recognise Chief Benja of Heart land carefully in front of her, the whip in his hand retracting into a curved blade, before he was moving again.</p><p>The finest of Fang’s Royal Army didn’t stand a chance. Benja was a blur of blue fabric and silver steel, limbs whirling. Every blow the soldiers threw met metal or air, his own moves scattering them and throwing them off balance. They fell back as he extended his sword again, throwing it in a wide arc to force them further away from the gem. Behind them Virana was right up against the staircase, cornered.</p><p>“You will not set foot on the Dragon Gem’s inner circle,” Benja said firmly, levelling his blade. “Chief Virana, what is the meaning of this?”</p><p>In the silvery metal of the sword, Namaari could see her own face reflected, her fists-half up and her makeup smeared from crying. And for a moment the reflection of Benja’s eyes met hers, and his expression softened with confusion and concern.</p><p>“Fang planned to steal Sisu’s gem,” she broke the silence before her mother could. Virana’s face twisted with fury, but she kept her mouth shut; there was no way she could deny the accusation. There was a moment of tense quiet, filled only by quiet breathing and the trickle of water.</p><p>“Our people need that gem far more than you do,” she said finally, eyes narrowing. “It’s easy to pontificate on sharing when you already have everything.” Benja half-lowered his blade, taking a deep breath.</p><p>“Listen to me,” he began, “stealing the Dragon Gem will not help Fang. Fighting over the gem is how we ended up in this situation, and the only way out is for us to come together. We can solve whatever problems are facing your kingdom together, and build a better world for our children, if you’ll just trust me.” Slowly he sheathed his blade, raising his hands in a sign of peace.</p><p>“Spare me your ideals.” Virana shook her head. She knew she was beaten, Namaari could tell, but she was far too proud to admit it. “Fang will make its own future, with or without the Dragon Gem.” She turned to the soldiers, standing defensively before her. “It’s time to go.”</p><p>The soldiers nodded reluctantly, shifting uncomfortably, and suddenly Namaari felt horrible uncertainty fill her stomach all over again. She wasn’t sure what to do; was she supposed to follow them? To just walk out of here and slink away from the banquet with her disgraced tribe? Could she bring herself to? And could she face the fury her mother was sure to have against her?</p><p>“Namaari,” the woman’s voice, cold and impersonal, cut through the great chamber like a knife. Namaari withered under her gaze, shifting uncomfortably, suddenly terrified of what was coming next. “You are not to set foot in Fang again until you can prove to me that you’re willing to think about what you’ve done, and fulfil your duty to your people.”</p><p>Virana’s gaze flitted up to the gem, and then back down to her daughter. The implication in her words was clear, at least to Namaari, and she felt that icy feeling in her gut again, worse than ever, at the thought. Because she knew in that moment that she could never be the ruler her mother wanted her to be, not anymore; she had come so near to falling down that hole, and nothing would make her step back to the brink again.</p><p>She felt her eyes stinging again, a lump forming in her throat and her vision starting to blur. The pain of being turned out, of being thrown aside now that she had shown she wasn’t willing to put Fang above all else, cut too deep for her to keep in. It was like her whole life had just come crashing down around her, all because she wanted to do the right thing.</p><p>“How can you say that?!” Raya’s voice echoed loud, disbelief and anger rising. Benja looked back, gently raising a hand to quiet her, then turned back to glare at Virana.</p><p>“Your daughter hasn’t done anything wrong,” he said, his voice quiet but firm. But she just sneered, giving the girl one final glare, and slowly descended the stairs. Her soldiers followed, several watching Benja nervously as they went.</p><p>But Namaari barely noticed. She couldn’t help the tears running down her face, everything crashing down at once. Distantly she heard footsteps, closing fast from behind her, and suddenly Raya’s arms were around her again, tighter than ever. She hugged back, holding on to her friend for dear life, breaking down into sobs.</p><p>Gently Raya pulled her off the pond stones and onto the floor, guiding her down into a kneeling position. And for a few moments they just stayed like that, holding each other, until Namaari felt the pain die down to a numb stinging in her heart. She wiped her eyes with her arm, sniffling away the last of her tears.</p><p>Finally, she met Raya’s gaze. The care in the other girl’s eyes almost made her break down all over again. But then she noticed something; there were tears glistening in Raya’s eyes too.</p><p>“Why are you crying?” Namaari asked softly, her voice shaky. Raya sighed.</p><p>“Because you’re my friend,” she admitted, “and you’re hurt. It wasn’t fair for your mom to do that to you, and it’s not okay, and I’m really sorry about it.”</p><p>“Thanks, dep la,” Namaari replied gently, feeling a swelling of warmth at the thought of just how much the other girl cared. They separated slowly, their hands finding each other’s as they both sat back.</p><p>A shadow fell over them. Namaari looked up, meeting the gaze of Chief Benja. There was something unreadable in his eyes, sadness mixed with something else, and Namaari sniffled as she felt another stab of guilt at what she had been a part of.</p><p>“She can stay with us, right Ba?” Raya asked quickly, her expression twisting with worry. “Please?” Her father reached down, gently putting a hand on her shoulder.</p><p>“Of course she can, Dewdrop,” he said softly. Namaari froze; after everything that had just happened, after she had nearly stolen the Dragon Gem, he was willing to do that for her? Wouldn’t she be a burden?</p><p>“Why?” Her voice cracked.</p><p>“What do you mean, why?” he asked gently, worry creeping into his voice. “You deserve a place to live, princess, and Heart is more than willing to share.”</p><p>“But I’m not from your tribe,” she couldn’t help saying, doubts forcing their way up her throat, “a-and I tried to steal Sisu’s gem! Mother only brought me here so I could find it for her; it’s my fault any of this happened.”</p><p>“No.” Benja’s voice was soft but firm, one hand coming down to gently rest on her shoulder. “It’s not your fault. You realised what you were doing was wrong and you chose a better path, and that’s never an easy thing to do.”</p><p>Namaari felt herself welling up again at the trust in his gaze. She knew, somehow, that he was speaking from experience. She looked away, her eyes meeting Raya’s again, and the other girl gently squeezed her hands again. She felt her heart flutter, the pain ebbing away.</p><p>“Raya made it a lot easier,” she said softly. The other girl’s cheeks darkened at that.</p><p>“Well,” Benja spoke again, “I’m glad.” He sighed, looking away, and for a moment he was silent. Namaari couldn't help a fresh rise of worry as his face fell; Raya noticed too, gently squeezing her hands again.</p><p>“I’m afraid I still have to get back to the banquet," he said after a moment. "I don’t think we can bring Fang around tonight, but I still think the other tribes might see each other in a new light. Raya, why don’t you take Princess Namaari to your room and help her get cleaned up?” His daughter nodded, letting out an affirmative hum, and he turned his gaze onto Namaari again, silently asking if she was alright with the proposal.</p><p>“Thanks,” she replied quietly, sniffling again. Raya got to her feet, gently pulling her up by the hands. Satisfied, Benja continued, his voice soft and reassuring.</p><p>“If you two want to rejoin the party later, you can, but only if you feel ready. You’ve been through a lot tonight, princess, so if you need time that’s alright.”</p><p>“I’ll be with you the whole time,” Raya added. “If you want me to, that is.” And Namaari felt the warmth inside her, still uncertain, grow stronger.</p><p>“I’d like that.”</p><hr/><p>In the end, reforming Kumandra was a step too far. There was still five hundred years of bad blood between the tribes, a gulf that would take more than one dinner to heal. Fang loudly announcing they wanted no further part in proceedings and slinking off into the night didn’t help. But still, there was something in the air that night, a spirit of collaboration, and by the time Namaari felt ready to rejoin the festivities, Raya at her side, the other tribes were freely mingling in the great hall.</p><p>They came away from that first meeting with a treaty; a mutual agreement between Heart, Tail, Talon, and Spine to pool their resources and open their borders to trade and travel. Benja was sure Fang would come around eventually too, but Raya and especially Namaari had their doubts. But this was the first, faltering step towards a better world, and for all of them, that was enough.</p><p>And that night, when Namaari couldn’t sleep, her head to full with everything that had happened, Raya stayed beside her, swapping stories, until finally both girls were too tired to stand. They squeezed together into Raya’s too-small bed, safe in each other’s arms, Namaari afraid of being alone after everything; as she fell asleep, for the first time in her short life, she felt truly loved.</p>
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